Internet Access

[armandpaul]

Folks - I posted a heated problem while aboard the Island Princess. The issue is cost and more about customer service in today's connected world.

 

$30 an hour is just outragous - worse it is very very very slow. The crew and computer consultant wait for port to obtain other access.

 

Okay - solutions

 

When in port take your lapetop to the side of the ship nearest the land and try and find a hot spot for $10 per day.

 

You can obtain a wireless card that will work while in port.

 

You can pay $30 per hour times x hours of required time - it will be several hundred dollars as it can take a long time to download emails folks. It is very slow.

 

Unlike some of you who work for companies that can clean their desk of tasks and head off for vacation our life is just different.

 

Many of us aboard the Island Princess had the issue. Yes we might be in the minority with 70% of the passangers over 70, best guess, and many not active adults. But if Princess wishes to sell to those of us who own or own business and have disposable income they may need to rethink the interent question.

 

As for princess you will find a complete cruise review and it is not all fun in the sun folks.

[Pam in CA]

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience. Most Princess cruisers are on vacation to get away from the connected world. Isn't it wonderful that we have choices?

[dforeigner]

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience. Most Princess cruisers are on vacation to get away from the connected world. Isn't it wonderful that we have choices?

 

You should read his original thread:eek:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=460522

[LARGIN]

Perhaps another vacation choice is in order and then when you turn 70 you can cruise like 70% of those on your cruise over 70, computer free... :D

[paul929207]

Although I am a good ways from 70, my wife and I cruise often and mostly with Princess. As we are past our 5th cruise the internet is free.

 

That said, I refuse to do work on MY vacation. My employer can get in touch with me in an emergency, but I will not check company email when I am away. If they don't like it, then I will retire. For many milleniums, people existed without 24 hour internet access, I can survive 2 or 3 weeks.

 

Paul

[dakrewser]

Folks - I posted a heated problem while aboard the Island Princess. The issue is cost and more about customer service in today's connected world.

 

$30 an hour is just outragous - worse it is very very very slow. The crew and computer consultant wait for port to obtain other access.

 

Okay - solutions

 

When in port take your lapetop to the side of the ship nearest the land and try and find a hot spot for $10 per day.

 

You can obtain a wireless card that will work while in port.

 

You can pay $30 per hour times x hours of required time - it will be several hundred dollars as it can take a long time to download emails folks. It is very slow.

 

Unlike some of you who work for companies that can clean their desk of tasks and head off for vacation our life is just different.

 

Many of us aboard the Island Princess had the issue. Yes we might be in the minority with 70% of the passangers over 70, best guess, and many not active adults. But if Princess wishes to sell to those of us who own or own business and have disposable income they may need to rethink the interent question.

 

As for princess you will find a complete cruise review and it is not all fun in the sun folks.

 

Before blaming the cruise line, try pricing and using a satellite uplink of your own....

[Toto2Kansas]

I have to say, if I needed to be on the internet that much while on a cruise with princess, I would definitely do something quickly (short cruises maybe) to get that 5th cruise out of the way so I would not have to pay for it.

 

I realize some need to stay in touch, but the slowness of the satellite link up and cost are something that should come as no surprise, it is discussed often.

 

So, two ways to solve this. Get to platinum status so your internet cafe usage is free, or wait until you retire. As if you cruise any cruise line that is out in the ocean, you are going to be on satellite and it is going to be slow and very costly if you are online very much.

[chasetf]

Guess I am having a hard time finding sympathy. I assume you know your "connection" needs ahead of time (whether it be 20 minutes to check your email, or 4 hours online to run your business). And given that, I am sure you knew what the charges are or were expected to be. If not shame on you. :(

 

One thing you did not "complain" about is there is a good chance you could go days without connection. We have. So speed and connection are not guarenteed. I donot know what your needs are but it seems if you are going through a lot of email wifi is probably more suitable (and less expensive) than paying for typing time in the lab.

 

So now on you will need to factor those "costs" into your vacation costs if you choose to cruise. Same thing if you plan a land vacation...

 

And tho 70% may be over 70 years old, less than only a few need to "run a business" while on vacation. ;)

[TexasMom2]

Good suggestion, Toto.

 

Armandpaul, thanks for coming back and trying to offer a possible solution for others in the same situation.

 

With technology, you have to figure it will get better sooner or later and you just work with it. I remember the first "cell" phone I came in contact with....you carried it in a case that looked (and weighed as much as) a toolbox. :)

[spongerob]

I'm not sure what to tell you. From what I can gather, Princess' internet connection fees are among the lowest of the major cruise lines. I find the system seems to be faster if you can arrange to be on line during off-peak times, such as early in the morning. The connect speeds seem to be quite fast, then.

 

If it makes you feel better, the charges you accrue can be considered a necessary business expense and are therefore deductable.

 

I don't think it would have mattered which cruise line you took for this itinerary, your complaints about connection costs and speed might very well have been the same.

[Psee]

Folks - I posted a heated problem while aboard the Island Princess. The issue is cost and more about customer service in today's connected world.

 

$30 an hour is just outragous - worse it is very very very slow. The crew and computer consultant wait for port to obtain other access.

 

Okay - solutions

 

When in port take your lapetop to the side of the ship nearest the land and try and find a hot spot for $10 per day.

 

You can obtain a wireless card that will work while in port.

 

You can pay $30 per hour times x hours of required time - it will be several hundred dollars as it can take a long time to download emails folks. It is very slow.

 

Unlike some of you who work for companies that can clean their desk of tasks and head off for vacation our life is just different.

 

Many of us aboard the Island Princess had the issue. Yes we might be in the minority with 70% of the passangers over 70, best guess, and many not active adults. But if Princess wishes to sell to those of us who own or own business and have disposable income they may need to rethink the interent question.

 

As for princess you will find a complete cruise review and it is not all fun in the sun folks.

 

As you have already noticed, internet access is not a big priority for Princess. Their rates have increased from 35 cents a minute to 50 cents a minute in the last few months with no improvements in speed or wireless access points.

 

Your best bet would be one of the newer Royal Caribbean ships that have hard wired cabin connections available for a flat rate for the entire cruise. The speed is not fast but at least you can stay connected... :)

[Pam in CA]

You should read his original thread:eek:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=460522

Holy cow. I missed that one as I was away for the week. If you know you're going to be on a ship and out of touch with the world for days at a time, why would you choose a cruise -- in particular, this cruise with so many sea days? What's to get pissed about? If you have to stay in touch, stay on land.

[RodneyG]

Oh wow , im just off the Island and think the internet access really sucks speed and cost wise , it's essentially unusable at exhorbitant costs. If princess can stream TV to all cabins via satellite , it can do a LOT better with internet. At least at some ports it was free , wireless hotspots etc.

There were plenty ppl over 60 that had laptops and/or used the internet cafe or wanted access of some sort and there were folk like my self from South Africa , who had need of connectivity for both business and other reasons (elderly parent at home , a business that was still open of which I'm the MD , security of home , some banking applications and so forth)

I contribute to various boards , use irc , play online games , like to google various points of interest on the cruise , would like to go online when bored or there is no activity on board which doesnt grab my fancy , uploaqd pics I have taken and use the internet as part of my entertainment and not just for "work".

 

I dont see how anyone using the internet can make the cruising experience worse for anyone else on board and in an age where this and cellphones and so forth are a part of life , why not offer it reasonably?

Princess crow about their oh so cutting edge digital photography dept , so its hardly like they are "old school". IMHO , the access issue is really another way to milk the passengers in a huge way and leaves a bad taste in the mouth, I had a 10mb connection on a 22 hr flight on singapore air for $2.99 all in -odd it can be done cheap on a boeing and not on a ship?

I wouldnt change my choice of holiday just because of the internet issue but if it is offered , then do it effectively and reasonably.

[shellbeachjim]

So, two ways to solve this. Get to platinum status so your internet cafe usage is free, or wait until you retire. As if you cruise any cruise line that is out in the ocean, you are going to be on satellite and it is going to be slow and very costly if you are online very much.

Actually, even though there was no announcement yet, Princess has updated their website regarding the Captain's Circle "amenities". First, they do list it by cruises/days. Second they have changed the internet charges for Platinum and above members:

Free Internet Access

Credit Towards Internet Café Packages (effective April 1, 2007)

$75 for voyages of 7 days or less

$100 for voyages of 8-20 days

$200 for voyages of 21 or more days

 

https://book.princess.com/captaincircle/jsp/memberShipBenefitsForProspect.jsp

 

Jim

[peterv]

I knew that that would eventually happen, not sure if I use 150 - 200 minutes over an entire cruise or not. Seems a bit stingy for the longer cruises though. :mad:

 

I think it would have been better as a per day freebie, like 20 minutes per cruise day. A 7 day cruise would be 140 minutes, a 15 day 300, etc.

 

Chhers,

Peter

[spongerob]

Actually, even though there was no announcement yet, Princess has updated their website regarding the Captain's Circle "amenities". First, they do list it by cruises/days. Second they have changed the internet charges for Platinum and above members:

 

Free Internet Access

Credit Towards Internet Café Packages (effective April 1, 2007)

$75 for voyages of 7 days or less

$100 for voyages of 8-20 days

$200 for voyages of 21 or more days

 

Jim

I reported that this might be on its way when we got home from a cruise in early December. I commented on some Internet Hogs and the attendant mentioned that some sort of limit on the free access perk might be in the works.

 

I think it really is worth suggesting that if you have responsibilities that require your personal attention at home, or have other concerns that make being away for extended periods of time problematic if you don't have internet access, cruising might not be the best choice for you. That's not being harsh, just realistic. If you cannot somehow manage your affairs in such a way that your absence can be tolerated temporarily, it is wise to look at other vacation options where communication is more reliable and not nearly as expensive.

[Colo Cruiser]

Alot of people use $75 in 1 sitting. :eek:

 

This will really effect the addicted. :(

[Admiral Horatio Nelson]

Oh wow , im just off the Island and think the internet access really sucks speed and cost wise , it's essentially unusable at exhorbitant costs. If princess can stream TV to all cabins via satellite , it can do a LOT better with internet. At least at some ports it was free , wireless hotspots etc.

 

IMHO , the access issue is really another way to milk the passengers in a huge way and leaves a bad taste in the mouth, I had a 10mb connection on a 22 hr flight on singapore air for $2.99 all in -odd it can be done cheap on a boeing and not on a ship?

I wouldnt change my choice of holiday just because of the internet issue but if it is offered , then do it effectively and reasonably.

 

It's very easy for you to make these comparisons and conclusions without having any idea of the technical side of this system. Comparing the TV system on the ship is a mistake. TV requires much less bandwidth than Internet and is only supporting one way traffic, Internet has two way traffic and multiple users all wanting to upload/download information, this aspect is unlike a TV in any way.

 

And Singapore Airlines has withdrawn that service you mentioned, because there wasn’t enough interest in it. http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/exp/entertainment/communications.jsp

 

What people have to remember is the technology involved is very complex, expensive and at this time, is the best you can get. Remember this: 20% the speed at 200% the cost of regular service on land, that is an approximation. The problem is people expect more than ever from this service because of the speeds accessible from home now. However, you have to remember where you are and that you are on a ship. Furthermore, people who want to do the things you mentioned are in a minority onboard a ship. If every person who came aboard did the things you said, the service would probably have a wider bandwidth, because then Princess could afford to pay for it. Remember Princess is a business and it needs to make money.

 

Saying the service is 'unusable' is just wrong. There are many users who work on that ship you are on whom rely on that very service you call unusable. The crew use this system to interact with shore-side every day, without this service the ship would grind to a halt. Ordering of new supplies, equipment for replacement etc. is all done over the internet.

 

Also the phone system onboard also goes through the same system that the Internet goes through, so you have multiple systems using the same Sat. So the comparison with an aircraft is also a bad one. Not to mention that many of the airlines are discontinuing the service because it is cost prohibitive. So if the cruise lines followed the aircraft industry as you suggest, you would lose the service altogether.

[chasetf]

Alot of people use $75 in 1 sitting. :eek: This will really effect the addicted. :(

Guess we have them to thank for the new quotas. :( The new quotas pretty much fit my typical needs...... but then I do not have a business to run or an office to keep in touch with while on vacation. :D

[Cruisin' Chick]

I would agree with those who suggest that you may want to rethink a cruising vacation if you absolutely must be in touch. What if your staff needed to get a hold of you while you were in the middle of the Pacific?

 

when we go on a cruise, my hubby's staff knows he's inaccessible. He's not going to check his email (either his work or home) and he's not going to call in. He'll be caught up and beyond before he's even packed at home. And if the guys were trained well, they can be on their own for a while.

 

Maybe by the time we get Platinium status, this whole package thing would be worked out better so that we'll get so many free minutes. But I think the main thing is that we go on a cruise to relax and get away from our responsibilities. Right now, we have to keep our schedules cleared (for things out of our control) so we don't have a cruise booked. When that's gone, we'll book our next one (hopefully) without any desire to "stay in touch."

[vitaminz1990]

This is cheating the cruise line but it doesnt really matter. If u know someone on the cruise who has an elite or platinum card and you can just swipe their card through, and wahh laa free internet. Then u just give them their card back right after you swipe it.

[okbowler]

I have only cruised the Carib., so we have not had more than two days in a row at sea. Most ports of call have internet cafes that are reasonably priced if you need to spend a lot of time on the net. If it can't wait two days, wrong vacation, need to stay land based or don't go,imho. bill

[Lewdog]

From reading all your posts it seems to me you have issues with Princess period, not just the internet.

 

As this was not your first Princess cruise you should have been awar of all issues involved.

 

My wife and I are also self employed and do have to be able to keep in touch on the ship.

 

We own a web design and hosting company and the internet on ships while not as nice as at home still gets the job done so if it's good enough for us I am sure it is more than adequate for you.

 

BTW, if your wife was in the middle of contract negotiations then why did you take a vacation? NOT good business practice IMHO.